Crystal Fighters played an incredible, uplifting set to a sold-out crowd at Bristol’s O2 Academy last night. The band, who have recently released a new record Everything Is My Family, managed to create the elusive balance between premiering their new music and satisfying fans with all their old favourites. They played on a beautifully decorated stage, with every microphone adorned with leaves and constant multi-coloured lighting illuminating the band.
The evening began with the intense energy of Follow before moving onto new track Yellow Sun. For the few songs of the set the band alternated their newer material with fan favourites off previous albums. They quickly progressed through a selection of their biggest tracks, all performed with a tremendously high energy.The band professed a strong message of loving one another throughout their set, frequently encouraging the crowd to embrace one another and to dance with strangers. This was particularly present during their track Love Is All I Got, where the band performed in soft crimson lighting before professing the importance of love in our lives.
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The majority of the set was a party, ensured by the vivacity of the performers although they managed to create softer, more emotional moments. Before new track In Your Arms, the band dedicated the song to their late drummer, Andrea Marongiu, who passed away two years ago from heart failure. They encouraged the crowd to join hands with each other and make as much noise as they could so that Marongiu could feel them. Following this, they played fan favourite Bridge of Bones from their second album. The stripped back instrumentation and the more sentimental nature of this song provided a beautiful and tender moment in their set and a great contrast to the upbeat, hectic nature of the rest of the evening.
One of the highlights of the evening was I Love London from the band’s first album. Lead vocalist, Sebastian Pringle, performed the entirety of the song through a megaphone whilst the rest of the band played dancing around the stage. The dramatic nature of the instrumentation made this one of the most enjoyable and well-received tracks of their entire set.
For the encore the band revisited their first record. Upon their return to the stage they began with Plage, which was highly anticipated by the crowd, throwing multiple rainbow balls into the crowd. They finished with Xtatic Truth, a frantic, heavily electronic track that provided the perfect climax to an extraordinary evening. Crystal Fighters played every track with such enormous energy and passion, leaving every member of the audience with a feeling of joy and love for one another. This evening proved them to be one of the most exciting live acts on the current touring circuit. Crystal Fighters’ live shows exemplify some of the most fundamental aspects of live music which are sometimes forgotten; to promote a wonderful sense of love and community amongst their fans, and, most importantly, to have fun!
★★★★★